Flexible container with side opening



Nov. 316, E948. N. sLoBoTKlN FLEXIBLE CONTAINER WITH SIDE OPENING Filed Nov. 2, 1944 IA allurfflldo,

4 INVENTQR. Afa/ than /lvbollm/ TTR N E Y Patentecl Nov. 16:, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- FLEXIBLE CONTAINER WITH SIDE OPENING 2 claims. l

This invention relates to pockets and other receptacles or containers and more particularly to a container which is provided with a self-operating closure.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of a self-closing safety pocket or other container constructed and arranged to afford security against the loss or accidental removal of the contents of the pocket or container even when the latter is inverted and yet to facilitate access to the interior of the container through an opening provided therein.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a container of the above described type which is of such construction that it is closed at the top as well as at the side and bottom thereof and which is provided with an opening positioned below the top of the container and disposed widthwise thereof.

A further object is to provide a self-closing container which can be of large capacity, for example, a ladys handbag which is constructed and arranged to prevent loss or accidental removal of the contents of the bag.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be fully understood from the following description, considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which, however, are to be taken as illustrative of the invention and not in limitation thereof. l

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a self-closing container embodying the present invention, a part of one of the side walls of the container being cut away for the purpose of illustration;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, on a larger scale, on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the upper part of the pocket, illustrating a modification;

Fig. 5 is a side View of another form of container in which the invention is embodied;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view of a trouser side pocket provided with a safety pocket or receptacle embodying the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and first to the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, the safety pocket or container I0 there illustrated comprises opposed side walls I2 and I4 formed of fabric or any other suitable ma- 2 terial. Said opposed side walls are secured together at their peripheral edges completely therearound preferably by one or more lines of stitching IB whereby the container is closed at the top as wellas at the bottom and side edges thereof. The wall l2, which may be considered the front wall of the pocket or container I0 is provided with a slit-like opening I8 disposed below the closed top 20 of the container and extending widthwise thereof preferably continuously from one sidev edge 22 to the opposite side edge 24 of the container. Said opening I8 is defined by the separable or relatively movable portions 26 and 28 of the front wall I2 and more particularly by the vconfronting edges 30 and 32 of said separable side wall portions 2E and 28, respectively. As f clearly shown in Fig. 2, the separable side wall portions 26 and 28 are thickened by being folded upon themselves and having one or more lining-k strips 34 and 36, respectively, of fabric or other suitable material disposed between the folded parts of said relatively movable portions of wall I2. Said thickened portions are preferably soft and pliable as are the other wall portions of the container, although due to the-folding and lining of thickened portions 26 and 28, the latter are somewhat less soft and pliable than the other wall portions of the container. Portion 2B is preferably somewhat thicker than thickened portion 28 so that portion 28 projects forwardly of the front surface of thickened portion 26 so that after the container has been in use for some time, such displacement of thickened portion 28 forwardly of the container will be compensated for by the extra thickness of portion 28 whereby the latter will not be disposed rearwardly of portion 2 6. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the thickened wall portion 26 has its inner edge secured to lthe inner surface of Wall I2 preferably by a line of stitching 38 extending widthwise of said wall between the opposite side edges 22 and 24 of the container. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the front wall portion 28 is formed preferably as an integral extension of wall I4, being folded downf wardly at the top 28 of the container so that it line of stitching IE, but except for this secure? ment and the securement at the top 20 of the container, front wall portion 28 is free from direct securement to wall` I4 and forms with the opposed portion of said wall I4 a recess 42 which communicates with the interior of the container, below opening I8. It is within the scope of this invention, however, to provide the thickened por tion 28 stitched to wall I4 so that the recess 42 is either wholly or partly eliminated. In such` case, the upper ends 5I of spring 44 will project above opening I8 through suitable openings between thickened portion 28 and the opposed part of wall I4.

Provision is made for tensioning the upper part of the container widthwise thereof in the region of the slit-like opening I8y which as described above is defined by the adjacent confronting edges 30 and 32 of the separable front wall portions 26 and 28, respectively. For this purpose, a generally U-shaped spring 44 is disposed within the container and is preferably so posi'- tioned that it engages the container at the opp.o. site ends of the opening I8 so as to tension the marginal edge portions of portions 26 and 28 widthwise of the containerat-the edge portions which dene said opening, thus to maintain said opening in its slit-like form. More particularly, as hereshown the base 46 of spring 44 is disposed at the lower edge of the container while the arms 48 of said spring extend upwardly along the adjacent side edges, respectively, of the container and beyond the opening I 8 into the recess 42 which is formed between the upper part of wall I4 and the confronting surface of upper front wall portion 28. Arms 48 resiliently engage the container at the points 48, i. e., at the opposite ends of opening I8. The upper ends of spring 44 are preferably rounded as indicated at 58 to avoid tearing or other injury to the container and to prevent interference with the expansion of the spring. As shown in Fig. 1, the upper portions 5I of spring arms 48 are permanently bent toward each other so that while said upper portions can lie adjacent the side edges of the bag` above opening I8 they do not press on said edges. Preferably portions 5I are spaced somewhat in,- wardly of said edges so that there is no interference with the expansion of the spring which would impair the pressure of the spring at the" points 49 at the opposite ends of opening I8.

Spring 44 is preferably formed of resilient wireand it will be understood that in the condition of the spring within the container it tends to eX- pand so that the arms 48 thereof press resiliently against the adjacent side edges of the container at points 49 for tensioning the opposed wall portions laterally or widthwise of the container in the region of the opening I8. Preferably, tacking stitches 52 are provided for securing Wall portion 28 and wall I4 to each other adjacent the ends of said wall portions inwardly of the upper rounded ends 58 of the spring for holding said trzids again-st accidental displacement from recess It will be understood that by. reason of the above` construction of the pocket or container4 I8 access may be conveniently had through opening I8 to the contents of the container when it is desired toplace coins or other articles therein or to remove the same from the container, while. at the same time, the -contents are effectively retained in the container even when the latter is inverted. In this connection, it will be further understood that when the container is inverted, the contents thereof instead of passing through the opening I8, are deected into the recess 42-4 between the upper part of wall I4 and the confronting surface of upper front wall portion 28,.

i other: container.

the delecting action being enhanced by the thickened part of front wall portion 26. As illustrated, container i0 is provided with means for securing the same in a trouser side pocket P (Fig. 7). For this purpose, container I0 may be provided as here shown with a loop 54 for a safety pin 5G for fastening the receptacle IU to the inner side wall 58 of the trouser pocket. It will be noted that since. the opening I8 is disposed below the top 20 of the pocket, access to the interior of the pocket is facilitated since the fingers can be more easily inserted into the pocket throughsaidopening I8 than if said opening were atthe upper edge of the pocket. It will be understood, however, that while the pocket or container' lll1 as illustrated in Fig. 7 is fastened in the interior of another. pocket or container, said container need not be fastened in or used with an- For example, container I8 can be a purse or formed for use by itself as a ladys handbag. Also said container can be used on a shirt or jacket as the breast or other pocket thereof. Also, while the provision of opening I8 below the top edge of the container enables the fingers, or the entire hand to be inserted` in the container when the latter is made suiciently large, without substantial movement of the spring arrns48. toward each other, theopening into the container can be enlarged by engaging the opposite side edges 22 and 244 ofthe container and pressingV the arm-s 48 of the spring toward each other and thereby moving the separable wall portions 26 and. 28 away from each other so that wallv portion 26 is displaced forwardly of wall por-- tion` 28 and opposed wall I'4, this displacement taking place in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane-of opposed walls. I2. and I4, andl i when the walls are thus displaced and the container held in one hand, so that the upper edge,`

38 of wall portion 26 of front wall I2 is inclined downwardly, all or part of the content-s of the container can move by gravity out of the container... On the other hand,`when compressing pressure on the arms 48 is released, opening I8 resumes its. slit-like form so that even when the container is inverted, and front wall I2 faces downwardly, the contents of the container are held. therein and prevented, from` accidentally.

falling out therefrom.

The construction illustrated in Fig. 4 i-s the same as that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, except that the` inwardly folded and thickened portion 34A, which corresponds to the inwardly folded and thickened portion 3,4` in Fig. 2, is not stitched' to the inner surface of front. wall portion 26; Accordingly, in the construction illustrated in Fig. 4, inwardly folded portion 34A provides a` recess 42A which may receive some of the contents of the container` when the latter i-s inverted thus to prevent the inadvertent or accidental movement of the contentsrof. the container from the latter.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs.

5 and 6, the container 68, illustrated asa ladys handbag, is of such construction that while it embodies the essence of the invention described above with reference to Figs. 1 to 4, it has greater capacity than that afforded by the construction described above. For this purpose, the generally U-shapedspring 44A is small in comparison to the size ofthe bag and the slit-like opening I8A is substantially shorter than the width of the bag which extends laterally beyondthe opposite ends 49A of vsaid opening. The opposite side wallsv I2A and` I4A, besides being secured to each other at their peripheralj edgescompletely around the,l

bag, preferably by a seam IBA, so that the bag is completely closed except at opening I8A, are stitched to each other along the lines 62 extending from the ends 49A of opening ISA to the opposite side edges 22A and 215A of the bag and along the lines 64 from ends 49A to the top edge 20A of the bag. Opening IBA is preferably long enough to allow the hand of the user to be inserted therethrough into the bag. The spring arms 48A resiliently engage the bag at the opposite ends EQA of opening ISA to maintain bag portions 25A Vand 28A in their slit-like opening defining positions, and the upper portions EIA of the spring arms are positioned inwardly of the opposite ends of recess 42A, at stitching 64, so that the expansibility of the spring is not interfered with and the pressure of the spring at points 49A is not impaired. In addition to spring 44A, a U-shaped spring 413B may be provided to tension the thickened portion 28A widthwise of the container above opening IBA, the arms 48B of this spring being spaced inwardly of points 49A so that the force of this spring for tensioning portion 28A will not be interfered with by the container. Spring MB is positioned laterally of spring 44A and has outwardly bent upper portions SIB provided with rounded ends 59B which project outwardly against the side edges of recess 42A at the lines of stitching 64. Thus spring 44A presses outwardly against the bag at the points yMIA preferably without pressing on the bag above opening ISA while spring 4B presses outwardly on the bag at lines 64 above opening ISA, preferably without pressing on the bag at the points 49A. Preferably the bent ends 58B of spring 44B are turned so that they lie transversely to the plane of wall IliA thus to project wall portion 28A somewhat forwardly of wall portion 26A, as shown in Fig. 6. If desired, the container illustrated in Figs, 1 to 3 can be provided with two springs having the same action as springs 44A and 44B at points Si and above opening I, respectively. As here shown, the base 45A of the spring while disposed below the slit-like opening ISA, is positioned above the bottom edge of the container in spaced relation thereto, and is disposed within a pocket formed by the fabric strip 66 stitched at its bottom and side edges to wall IIIA by a line of stitching 68. Fabric strip 66 is also stitched at its upper edge to wall I4 by a line of stitching 10, but if desired, this line of stitching may be omitted whereby strip 66 forms an open top auxiliary pocket with the opposed part of wall IAA. In other respects, container 6G is, in general, of the same construction as container I9] having like the latter the closed top 20A and the relatively movable front wall portions 26A and 28A which are thickened and have confronting edges SDA and 32A which dene the slit-like opening IBA. While container 6I) is provided with a recess 42A above opening IBA, it is within the scope of this invention to stitch thickened portion 28A widthwise of the container so as to either wholly or partially eliminate said recess MA, the upper ends of the spring passing through openings left therefor between portion 28A and the opposed surface of wall I4A to the same positions which said spring arms occupy when the recess @2A is provided as shown. It will be noted that by reason of the construction of container G, substantially as described above, the opposed side walls IZA and IIIA are relatively movable toward and away from each other in their parts below the thickened upper marginal edge of front portion 26A without disturbing the action of springsiMA and 64B in tensioning the container in the region of opening IBA, and that this allows the interior of the container to be expanded transversely so that it may receive larger objects than can be placed in a container or pocket of the construction of container I0. It is Within the scope of this invention to stitch thickened portion 28 (Figs. l and 2.) to the opposed side wall portion I4, thus eliminating the recess 52, although the provision of this recess is preferred and portion 28 being in recess defining relation as shown. It is also tofbeunde'rstoo'd thatA when two springs are used, as in Fig. 5, or as indicated above, in the containers illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, one of the springs can terminate, at the upper ends of its arms, at or below the opening I8 or IBA, as the case may be, while the other spring can have its arms extend above said opening to tension portion 28 or 28A at and above the opening while the rst mentioned spring tensions portion 26 or 26A at and below said opening.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise than as herein illustrated or described and that various changes and modifications rnay be made without departing from the underlying idea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A container comprising opposed side Walls, said container being closed at its top and having an opening in one of said side walls disposed below but adjacent the top of the container and extending widthwise thereof, said opening being defined by confronting relatively movable adjacent upper and lower edge portions of said one of the side walls, the portions of said opposed side walls above said opening forming a recess within the container above said opening in communication with the interior of said container below said opening to receive at least part of the contents of the container when the latter is inverted, and a generally U-shaped spring disposed in said container with the base of the spring below said opening and with the free ends of said arms of the spring extending transversely of said opening and projecting into said recess above said opening operatively positioned to tension said upper and lower relatively movable portions of the side wall for resiliently opposing relative movement thereof, the portion of said one side wall below said opening having an inwardly disposed portion forming a second recess with the inner confronting surface of said side one wall at the portion thereof which is below said opening, said second recess being closed at its upper end and open at its lower end, the lower end of said second recess being spaced upwardly from the bottom of the container.

2. A container comprising opposite side walls secured at their peripheral edges completely therearound whereby said container is normally closed at its top as well as at its bottom and side edges, one of said side walls having a slit-like opening disposed below the top of the container and extending widthwise thereof, and a generally U-shaped spring positioned within said container with its base disposed widthwise of the container below said opening and with its arm extending transversely of said opening and upwardly from said base above said opening in position to tension said opposed side walls widthwise of the container in the region of said opening, the side wall which is provided with said opening having an internally 7 8 disposed portion below said .opening 'forming a REFERENCES CITEDA n recess open at its bottom. and closed at its top, whereby to receive at least'part of the. contents ghf fllligwlererens are of record m the of the container when the container is inverted, the portions of said opposed side Wallsrabove said 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS opening dening a second recess for part of thev Number Name Date contents of the container `When the latter is in- 1,133,832 Meier May 11I 1915 verted, said internally disposed portion providing 113581294 Lewis Feb. 7, 1928 means to deflect the last mentioned part of the 1,741,071 Percek Dec 24, 1929 contents into said last mentioned recesswhen the 10' 2,053,159 Koeller Oct-, 29, 1936 Container iS inverted- 2,o91,832 Reiter Aug, 31, 1937 NATHAN SLOBOTKIN 2,1253354 Meier Aug. 3, 1938 

